Wednesday, August 22, 2012

We love, love, love ceviche and it’s a great summertime
staple. Fresh, healthy, low in fat and calories, it’s a great appetizer and can
be served with tortilla chips, atop a crispy tortilla, or in a fancy schmacy
martini glass as we did this week.

It’s a perfectly acceptable diet food and fits in well on
the whole foods diet I am trying to maintain. Full of bright flavors from lime,
cilantro and peppers, it only takes a few minutes to make (and then several
hours to marinate). Most of the effort is in the chopping of ingredients, but
it is well worth it.

I just assemble all the ingredients, spend a little time
with my knife and a chopping board, and pour it all into a large, non-reactive
bowl. A few hours in the refrigerator and you have a tasty treat. So what are
you waiting for?

Monday, August 20, 2012

Sometimes life gets in the way. I’ve been neglecting a lot
these days, probably from an overdose of obligations that took me in unexpected
directions or maybe from a lack of focus. I don’t know, and it really doesn’t
matter to me why. What does matter is that I need to get back on track, take
more control of my life, and particularly my health.

I find myself pulled in too many directions, not able to settle
on specific tasks at hand; not a good thing when you’ve started a new job. So I
need to buckle down and concentrate on the things that matter. So in addition
to working again, I need to find the time to exercise and return to a healthier
eating regimen. Not that I’ve been dining on pizza, burgers, and processed junk
food, but I also have not been getting my allotted fruits and veggies (despite
my healthy backyard garden). So in an attempt to rectify, I have borrowed
Brilliant Daughter’s juicer and stocked up on a glorious bounty of fruits and
vegetables.

I’m going to make my body happier and healthier with what I
call a whole foods diet. That doesn’t mean that I only shop at Whole Foods, it
just means that the food is unprocessed, fresh, lean, and healthy. You know,
fruits and veggies, whole grains and legumes, lean proteins. Cut out the
processed crap, sugar, and a fair amount of dairy. It takes a bit of thinking
and preparation, not to mention cost, but if I can reconnect with all these
good foods on a regular basis, then I can slowly introduce some whole grain
breads, some cheese, and the occasional sweet treat and end up with a more
balanced diet.

My first stop was Sigona’s, our local greengrocer. You can
find just about any kind of fruit or veg here, and I loaded up the cart,
walking out $100 lighter. In fact, I had a hard time finding room in the fridge
or on the counter for all I bought. But it brings a smile to my face seeing all
the good fresh fruit (and makes me want to go on another canning binge!).

The goal is to have freshly pressed juice every morning,
occasionally made into a smoothie with some nonfat plain Greek yogurt. For
lunch, another glass of juice and a whole foods salad of some kind. Dinner will
be grilled, poached or roasted lean protein (fish/seafood, poultry, beef filet)
or grain-legume combo (brown rice and beans), along with vegetables.I’ve got some nice fresh fruit and raw
almonds for snacks, and some home-brewed decaf and herbal iced tea to sip on.
I’m not giving up my morning coffee and see no need to.

Today’s breakfast concoction consisted of a mixture of
blueberries, kiwi, apples and pear. Blueberries have a very high antioxidant
component, kiwi contains a high level of vitamin C and potassium, apples have
high levels of polyphenols that contribute to their antioxidant capabilities, and
pears bring a nice sweetness and mellowness to this breakfast cocktail. It was
quite a tasty beverage, if I do say so myself.

I have also purchased a Tuscan melon, grapes, papaya, mango,
pineapple, oranges, bananas, ginger and limes, and have strawberries from the
garden. I can also add in coconut water, almond milk, or the yogurt for
variation. I also bought celery, carrots, kale and avocado for more savory
drinks, and can pull beets and chard from the garden. (Too bad I don’t like cucumbers,
because I have an overabundance of lemon cucumbers in the garden that could
easily be used in a veggie juice. )

Today for lunch I made what is labeled a Superfood Salad. The
recipe is pretty easy to make and makes 4 one-cup servings. It has a base of
quinoa, with onion, avocados, black beans, fresh corn, orange, cilantro and pomegranate
arils (seeds) and is tossed with a lemon vinaigrette (from my own Meyer lemons).
I whipped it up and divided the salad into four Tupperware containers for
lunches. (Both Butcher Son’s girlfriend and Mr. B will be taste testers.) My
daughter has eaten this with poached prawns, and I think you could also add
grilled fish or chicken if you wanted the extra protein. And it’s something
even kids should like, not to mention it is a pretty salad, full of color and
flavor.

Superfood Salad

1/2 cup dry quinoa

1/3 cup red onion, chopped

1 orange, peeled and segments chopped

1 avocado, chopped

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and
drained

1 cup pomegranate arils (about 1
pomegranate worth)

1 cup fresh corn kernals (can use
thawed frozen as well)

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

salt & pepper

Lemon Vinaigrette:

¼ cup lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, microplaned or finely
minced

dash of sweetener (agave nectar, stevia
or white sugar)

salt & pepper

6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Cook quinoa according to package
directions. Set aside to cool.

Make lemon vinaigrette by combining all
ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to combine.

About Me

I live the life of a typical soccer mom in the suburbs with my husband, three children, and two cats. Working for a travel publisher for 12 years, I began visiting destinations through food, rather than by airplane. I learned about Thailand, India, Spain, and a dozen other countries through their cuisines. And that food remains a staple in my kitchen. My children grew up on curries, Provencal lamb dishes, moles, and the occasional meatloaf (on request). I am now taking the love of food farther afield and venturing into foreign lands, incorporating it into every travel destination I can get to, be it Erie, Pennsylvania or Taipei, Taiwan. Those of us in suburbia need to break out of the roast chicken, barbequed ribs, pork chop mentality and spice up our kitchens with the food of the world. We need to leave the canned veggies, packaged cookies, and oversweet jams on the shelves, and dig into the garden and flour bag and treat our families and ourselves to something better. As I continue to learn, I will share, and maybe someone will take the step towards a tagine or a brulee, and know that it doesn’t have to be complicated, and that the end result speaks for itself.